


At Last

by SometimeLonely



Series: Songs of the Rogers-McCoy Clan [9]
Category: Kingsman (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family, Loss of Past Pregnancy, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29528382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SometimeLonely/pseuds/SometimeLonely
Summary: Clarice runs into Roxy's best friend and his wife at a gala for her museum. It leads to more than she could have ever imagined.
Relationships: Clarice Ferguson/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin/Tilde
Series: Songs of the Rogers-McCoy Clan [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/949515
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	At Last

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anarchycox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/gifts), [Bethypgold](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bethypgold/gifts).



> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I neither own the characters used nor profit from it.
> 
> This is a kind of slice of life, because I felt this universe I've created needed more Kingsman in it. Pretty sure hardly anyone reads my stuff anymore, but I still enjoy it, so for the few (or the one) who do read it, I'll keep posting. :)
> 
> I meant there to be another story before this one. One involving Odin, but I'm having a hard time trying to work him into a decent character within the context of this universe. 
> 
> The next story I have planned for this 'verse is a multichapter mostly centered around Jake and The Losers.
> 
> This story is dedicated to anarchycox whose Kingsman and other fandom stories have always been a real inspiration and balm to my soul. They have no idea who I am and I don't expect that they'll read this, but I believe in putting good thoughts into the universe and thanking those who have done a kindness to me, even if they don't know it.
> 
> This is also dedicated to Bethypgold, who might be the only person still reading this 'verse. Their comments have made me so happy and it's for them as well as for myself that I'm still writing in it, even if the updates come super, super slow. Thank you so much for reading and always letting me know you're enjoying! It means the world to me!
> 
> Trigger Warning: There is a mention a couple of times of a loss of a previous pregnancy. Please take care of your mental health, friends.

Clarice Rogers-McCoy did not like galas. That wasn't to say she didn't like dressing up. On the contrary, she loved indulging in getting her hair, nails, and makeup professionally done by the artist Aunt Pepper hired for all of her own, and her family's, important events. She also thoroughly enjoyed putting on a gown that nipped in and gave her the appearance of a tiny waist and a bigger bust than she actually had. And she really, really liked the killer heels that she wore that made her considerably taller than her usual five-foot, two-inch height. The dressing up made her feel sexy and she loved to feel sexy. What she didn't like was having all of that sexy used by her boss to try to get more money out of one of the families who'd donated enough to the museum to have a presence on the board, especially when he did so by practically throwing her at the very boring, very arrogant, very married youngest son of said family. She was good at her job, one of the best in her field, but she didn't try to fool herself into thinking that she was irreplaceable if her boss, or the moneyed-up family took a disliking to her as they so easily could. She would never compromise herself by actually sleeping with the man, but a little light flirting had never hurt anyone and had always been enough to satisfy him in the past. Only tonight wasn't the past and for some reason he was being a lot pushier than he had ever been before. Must have had a fight with the wife, she assumed, since the wife hadn't made an appearance that night that she'd seen.

"Mr. Hamilton," she batted her lashes again and wondered how he couldn't see her eyes roll behind them.

"Call me Ham," He smiled what she was sure he thought was a very winning grin and it might have been if it had reached his eyes in any way and his words hadn't been slurred by entirely too much cheap champagne.

"Ham…" She searched her brain for a reason, any reason at all, to get away and was about to despair when she came up empty, "I…"

"Clarice?" The voice that interrupted the conversation was like a breath of fresh air, and the most welcome thing she'd heard in a long time. She turned to address the voice that had called to her and took in the figure approaching her for a moment.

The man coming toward her was ridiculously handsome in a boyish kind of way. His wide smile was mischievous, almost elfin if she was being honest, and wouldn't have been out of place on a trickster god's face. She should know. She had one for an uncle. His hair was perfectly coifed, his tux obviously bespoke, and there was a signet ring on his pinky. For a moment she was scared that she was just going to trade one pompous ass for another. Who the hell wore a signet ring anymore, aside from Roxy? And her sister-in-law only wore the signet ring because it was modified to assist her in her work. That was it. Clarice felt the concern and annoyance in her chest ease as she finally remembered where she knew the handsome gentleman from. In her mind's eye she saw a wrinkled suit, hair mussed, glasses tucked into his front pocket, and a gentle, real smile on his face as he looked down at her daughter, sleeping on his chest. This was Eggsy Unwin, Roxy's best friend, the one who had supported her and their whole family when they hadn't known if Kurt was going to survive. He'd helped keep them all together, hydrated and fed in those long hours, never once making them feel as if he was reluctant to be there or that they had to do anything to repay his kindness. Cerabeth had loved him to bits. He'd braided her hair and read her Narnia. Even now, two years after that horrible time, Cera insisted that no one had ever done the voices correctly except for her funny friend who made her not worry when Uncle Kurt was in the hospital.

"Eggsy," She said breathlessly, knowing no one could hear her, but that he could see her lips form his name.

"Clarice Ferguson?" He dropped an almost imperceptible wink at her and she was glad he was smart enough to use her professional name.

"Mr. Unwin," She responded, professionally, but warmly. Practically a lifetime of presenting herself as someone other than her fathers' daughter had made it easy to slip into a personality that was not truly her own, but was seen by most of the world. She held out both hands, which he took, and pressed a kiss to the back of one of them, "How good to see you again."

"And you. I should have known I would see you here. When are you going to let me steal you over to The London Museum?"

She laughed in what she knew was a pleasant manner, "As I've told you a dozen times at least, Mr. Unwin, I'm happy here."

"Ah well," He pouted in what he knew was an adorable, vacant kind of way, and then smiled his winning smile again, "If you insist on breaking my heart, you can at least spare me a dance."

"Gladly," Clarice turned to Hamilton and smiled as if she was reluctant to leave, "Please excuse me, Ham."

Eggsy didn't even wait a beat for Hamilton to give an acknowledgement before he slipped a hand around her waist and led her to the dance floor. The waltz was, luckily, slow, and the floor wasn't so crowded that they couldn't easily slip themselves in with the other dancers. They didn't speak for a couple of minutes, getting into the groove of the music and each other. Eggsy was a strong lead, but not a pushy one. His hand at her waist was warm and wide, reassuring in a way, and it nearly made her shiver. How long had it been, she wondered idly, since she'd had hands on her body that weren't her own? Hugs from her child, her ex, and her family not withstanding she was struggling to remember. Eggsy was so graceful it was almost as if they were gliding across the floor and Clarice felt her breath catch. If he was this graceful, this self-assured, on the dance floor, what would it be like to take him into her bed, to have his hands all over her in ways meant purely for pleasure? She had to stifle the moan that wanted to come up from her chest and was glad they were moving, as it helped her ignore the ache between her legs.

"Thank god for you," Clarice breathed, more to distract herself than anything else, "I was about to do something drastic."

"Yeah," Eggsy's accent lost some of the posh, as it always did when he was comfortable with someone, "Was thinking you'd pass out you rolled your eyes any harder."

They both snickered a bit.

"What brings you to my museum?" She asked when they'd calmed, "Not work, I hope? I'm fairly certain there's nothing happening here that Kingsman would need to be involved in."

"Nah," He grinned at her lopsidedly, a real grin. She felt her heart flutter and carefully schooled her face into neutrality. "Swedish royal family has some art on loan to the museum. S'whole reason for the party tonight. Tilde abdicated her position in line for the throne, but she's still a member of the royal family and all. We do a couple things like this every year so she fulfills her obligation to king and country and all that. Heard it was this museum, remembered Roxy saying you worked here, decided to use some of the vacation I had stored up. Figured we'd make a weekend of it, get some sightseeing in, get to see you again. Maybe…have some fun." He winked again, this time more deliberately.

"I'd forgotten that you were royalty," Clarice blushed at the thought and could have kicked herself. She knew her sister-in-law's best friend was married, happily by all accounts. Married to a princess, even.

"M'not," He laughed, then spun her out before bringing her back in for a deep dip, and leaning over her. She could see his pupils were dilated more than they had been. "I'm just married into it." He brought her back up and bowed to her, "Want to meet my wife?"

Truthfully, it was the last thing Clarice wanted to do, but she nodded politely anyway, not trusting her voice not to crack until she could swallow some of the lust raging through her body. Eggsy kept his arm around her waist as he led her across the room.

"Oh, that's just not fair," She said under her breath as they approached who Clarice assumed with Princess Tilde, by the way she lit up as Eggsy approached. If Eggsy was Elfin in a Shakespearean trickster way then his wife was Elfin in the Tolkien way. Tall, incredible bone structure, one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen in her life. She was in a black sheath dress that hugged her curves and had a cutout in between her breasts almost to her navel that showed a lot of creamy skin that Clarice would love to lick. It figured.

"Clarice, this is my Tilde. Tilde, this is Clarice. She's Kurt's older sister."

"I remember," Tilde's accent voice was like a balm on a burn, soothing and smooth. She held out both of her hands and Clarice took them, unsurprised when Tilde leaned down a bit and pressed a kiss to each of her cheeks. She was surprised, however, when she didn't stop there and pressed a kiss to Clarice's lips, sending an electric shiver through her body that made the warmth of Eggsy's arm around her waist that much more delicious, "You and my Eggsy dancing." Tilde murmured, cupping a hand on Clarice's cheek, "It was beautiful. You are beautiful. Would you like to come to our bed tonight, gredelin?"

"Way to work up to it, love," Eggsy murmured.

"What's to work up to?" Tilde asked, never taking her eyes off of Clarice, "She is beautiful. I want her. You want her. She wants us both, I think."

"Yes," Clarice felt the same way Tilde did. What was to work up to? Why play coy? "Yes, I want you both and yes, I would love to come to your bed tonight."

Tilde smiled and leaned over to kiss her again, "Then, let's go."

*****

Alois Muller was not unaccustomed to being woken up in the middle of the night. His beautiful, much loved little girl lived most of the time half way around the world, after all. When she was younger Clarice had made sure that she only called at times that were good for them all, but as she got older, as she was gifted her own cell phone, she'd taken to calling him whenever the mood struck her. And he could never find it in himself to be angry or even annoyed. She was the best, brightest part of his life and he loved the fact that she felt comfortable enough, that she loved him enough, to call him whenever she wanted to talk to him, regardless of whether it was an emergency or not.

And so, he wasn't surprised when his phone rang at nearly one o'clock in the morning, waking him from a deep sleep. He was, however, surprised at who the caller ID showed was calling him, however. Clarice was his best friend, and his co-parent, but he would be lying if he said that she called him in the middle of the night regularly. She had her brothers and sister, after all, as well as her parents and every other member of her family. She would usually call them first, unless it was regarding Cerabeth. On matters of their daughter they always made their decisions together. But, considering that their daughter was with him for the summer, as she was every summer, Clarice calling in the middle of the night was…unusual at best, worrying at worst.

"Clarice?" He picked up the phone with panic rising in his chest, "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Alois." Clarice assured him, though her voice was more nervous than he could remember it ever being.

"I don't think you're quite telling me the truth," Alois sat up and turned on his bedside lamp.

"No," Clarice denied, "Really. Nothing's wrong…it's just that…Alois?"

"Hmm?"

"What would you say if I told you that I've fallen in love?"

"I would say congratulations, my friend," Alois said gently. He didn't have any illusions about his once relationship with Clarice. They hadn't been in love. Their relationship had been physical and fun, some of the best sex he'd ever had in his life, but it hadn't been love. The best thing they had ever done together was make Cerabeth and it had taken him time to see that. As his love for his little girl grew so did his admiration for her mother and that admiration had eventually become a deep, familial love, but it had never been, and would never be romantic. He sometimes wondered though if, because their relationship hadn't been romantic but had resulted in such a lifechanging event for both of them, Clarice had been hesitant to try to reach for another romantic relationship. He'd had a couple long-term relationships that had run their course over the years, but as far as he knew Clarice hadn't done more than go on a couple of dates since their daughter was born.

"Thank you. But, what if I told you that it's not just one person I'm in love with?" The tremor in Clarice's voice, the fear, had him wincing. "What if I told you I've fallen in love with a married couple? And that I think…that I know that they're in love with me, too?"

"Clarice, schatz," Alois smiled softly and wished that she could see his face to see it, "You have never done anything in a traditional way. Why would you start now? Are you at work right now?"

"Just got off."

"Come and see me then, my dear." He hung up the phone so that she couldn't argue and opened his arms when the rift in reality opened up at the end of his bed and Clarice stepped through, setting her purse on the ground and taking off her coat before she turned around and closed the rift.

"You look tired, Alois," She didn't quite smile, but her eyes were soft.

"Our daughter has been keeping me up late," Alois kissed her head when she slipped off her sensible heels and climbed onto the bed, curling up next to him so that he could wrap his open arms around her. She wrapped an arm around his waist and set her head on his shoulder, "Please, for the love of God, tell me that there were only ever three High School Musical films made. If I have to watch another…"

"Just the three," Clarice assured him before she hid her face from him. He kissed her head again and held her tighter when she began to shiver with the force of her emotions.

"What has you so worried, schatz?" he asked, "Won't you tell me? Is the fact that you love two instead of one? Because that makes no sense to me. Your family has so many different loves and lovers in it, I can't imagine anyone would do anything but accept you, and your loves."

"It's not that," She agreed, "I already know everyone loves Eggsy and anyone who doesn't love Tilde just doesn't have a soul, I'm sure."

"Eggsy and Tilde?" Alois hummed, "Where have I heard those names before?"

"Give it a moment," Clarice murmured. With a flash of lightning to his brain Alois remembered and gaped at her, "There it is," She grinned.

"Princess Tilde of Sweden and the man she abdicated for?" He asked. Clarice just hummed against his chest, "Who or what in the universe has put so many of these people in your and your family's paths?"

Clarice giggled and then snuggled in further to him again, wrapping her arm around his chest tightly and encouraging his arms to hold her just as tightly. The fact that she was wanting him to hold her when she normally would not put an idea in his head and he debated for a moment if he should speak it or let her do so. He'd almost worked up the courage when her voice, soft and almost childlike with a hint of fear, ended the silence.

"I…I'm pregnant."

Alois kissed her head yet again, "I thought so."

"You'd think I would have learned, after how Cerabeth was conceived. I just…Eggsy and Tilde have been trying for years. What if…what if she stops loving me because I got pregnant so easily, on accident, even…and I lose them both?"

Alois took a moment before he spoke, "But, schatz, what if you don't? What if they both see this baby for what it is? A beautiful, wonderful miracle? And what if you're all happy together with each other and with the new baby?"

"That what if is just as scary, Alois," Clarice mumbled.

"I know it is," He murmured.

"About as scary as telling our daughter."

Alois raised an eyebrow and looked down at her, making sure that she was looking back at him, "Our daughter? Cerabeth Muller? We are speaking about the same nine-year-old girl who has been asking for a little brother or sister since she was two, yes?"

"Point taken." Clarice giggled, then sighed. Alois could feel her relaxing and was happy for it. The first trimester of pregnancy had exhausted her with Cerabeth and he assumed it was the same for the new little one growing within her belly, "They're going to love her so much, Alois. And treat her so well. You know that, right? I wouldn't fall in love with anyone who would treat our girl wrong."

"I know that, my dear. Why don't you stay the night? Have breakfast with us? You can tell Cera your good news."

"Hmm," Clarice murmured an agreement.

"And tell me about Eggsy and Tilde? I'm very interested to know how you met them to even have opportunity to fall in love with them."

"We met at a gala at the museum. The Swedish royal family has some art on loan and Tilde presented it. They asked me to their bed that night. One night turned into the weekend, turned into Tilde coming back to Colorado with me when Eggsy was called away. We spent two weeks with each other, just us. I…I fell for her first. And I knew she was falling for me, but she loves her husband and I respected him and we didn't want to do anything to hurt him. We came home from the farmer's market one day to find him asleep on my couch. And…it was the easiest thing I've ever done, falling for Eggsy, too. Being around both of them just felt right. Tilde's silk over steel, strong in a way only a woman raised in royalty seems to be able to be. She quiets my soul. When I'm around her things never seem quite so bad. Eggsy's like dynamite wrapped in bespoke suits. I've never laughed more. When he smiles it's like the sun comes up and I can't help but feel optimistic. That's not to say they're perfect and that's not to say that we don't argue, but…it feels right, being with them. I never thought that my life was empty. I have Cera, and my family, and you and a few other close friends and I've never been discontent. But, with them, I…I'm…"

"You're happy." Alois smiled, "Truly happy."

"Yeah."

"And I am happy for you, schatz. Now, to sleep, my dear."

"Goodnight, Alois." Clarice snuggled in and closed her eyes, falling asleep in seconds. Alois pressed a final kiss to her hair and closed his own eyes, letting himself relax back into sleep.

*****

"Hey, love," Eggsy couldn't help the smile that came to his lips when the tear in reality manifested in front of him as he was dressing for dinner, revealing his and his wife's lover and, if he was being honest, their love. He didn't get a good look at her at first because she was looking down, taking off her shoes and putting her overnight bag down, "We were expecting you last night."

"Sorry, babe," There was something in Clarice's voice that put him on edge, "I needed Alois and my girl last night."

"Everything okay?" Eggsy stood up and moved faster than even he thought he could when she stumbled unsteadily. He caught her and swooped her up in his arms when he saw the sweat on her brow and her eyes rolled up nearly to their whites. He knew that he wasn't the tallest man in the world, but carrying her always made him feel like he was so much bigger than he actually was because she was so small. He moved her to the bed and laid her down before kneeling, patting her face gently with his hand. She came to almost immediately, making him breathe a sigh of relief.

"Wait right there!" He ran to the bathroom to grab her a glass of water, and by the time he got back into the room she was sitting up against the headboard, looking embarrassed.

"Jesus," She buried her face in her hands, "What an entrance." She laughed into her hands and it sounded a little hysterical to him, but her eyes were bright when she looked up at him, "Sorry, babe!" She kept giggling as he moved back to the bed and sat on it, facing her, handing her the water.

He observed her, using his not inconsiderable training to try to pick up on what was going on with one of the women he loved more than anything. She looked as put together and classy as always in high waisted, wide leg slacks paired with her more informal tank. Both of his ladies always looked so damn classy, but didn't care if some adventure or other ruined their classy clothes, which never failed to make him smile. Her long, long hair was pulled into the French braid she almost always kept it in and she didn't look tired or ill. In fact, truthfully, she was looking better rested than she had been when they'd all had to separate a week or so before. She looked gorgeous and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms and kiss her gently, even as she couldn't seem to stop the giggles.

He couldn't stop the pounding of his heart even as her giggles became a sweet little moan and she leaned into him. He couldn't understand it. He'd faced down death more times than he could count, watched friends die and sacrifice themselves, had watched the world almost end on more than one occasion…and he'd never been so scared on any of those occasions. He could only remember twice before that he'd been so scared. The first was when he'd allowed himself to think of his Daisy potentially being involved in Valentine's Day. The other was when he'd come home one night to Tilde half out of her mind with blood loss when they'd lost a pregnancy. It had been ectopic. They hadn't even known she was pregnant and he'd almost lost her that night. Maybe it wasn't healthy that he didn't worry so much for his life but that even thinking of one of the great loves of his life in danger was enough to cause a panic attack, but he'd never really concerned himself with that.

He'd never thought, when he suggested Clarice to Tilde as a potential candidate for a third, that they'd end up where they were. Having another in their bed had been something that they'd enjoyed before, quite a bit. Sometimes it was someone that he chose, sometimes it was someone that she chose. Before Clarice it was something that usually lasted a weekend and then they parted ways, usually never to see each other again, sometimes to go back to their regular friendships, like they had with Roxy, and Tilde's college boyfriend turned best friend. It had never been something that they wanted to last longer than that. They were deliriously happy in their love for each other and both enjoyed a healthy variety in the bedroom, that was all. He'd remembered Clarice from the hospital when Kurt was injured. Remembered how strong she was, how well she helped to hold her family together at their most trying time. He remembered what a dear Cerabeth had been and how wonderful a mother Clarice was. And of course, he'd remembered how beautiful Clarice was, how intelligent. But, when he'd told Tilde about her there was no intention in his heart other than to have another of their wonderful, hedonistic weekends with her as they had with other partners.

But, making love with her hadn't been the sex they'd had with others. Both he and Tilde had felt it. He'd seen it in his wife's eyes when he'd woken to her holding Clarice as she slept, stroking her hair and simply looking at her the way he'd caught her looking at him. He'd worried for only a moment until she turned the same look on him. He'd felt himself starting to fall when he'd gone to Clarice's place after his mission and it had felt like coming home. He and Tilde had found a peace and happiness with Clarice in that little town in the mountains that they'd never expected. There were still things that they needed to work out, of course. Tilde hadn't even met Cerabeth yet, after all, but he had a feeling at all three of them had decided that they would never be parted again.

"Mmmm," Clarice moaned in the back of her throat when their kiss broke, and opened eyes he hadn't even realized she'd closed, to look at him with a happy, peaceful expression.

"Where's our beauty?" She asked softly, her voice warm, "I have something I need to tell you both."

"She heard of a local market that specializes in textiles. Said she wanted to pick something up to have a dress made for Cerabeth." He felt the chuckle in his throat and didn't try to stop it from coming out.

"As if she hasn't bought her enough already," Clarice smiled almost conspiratorially at him. Tilde was so nervous that Cera wouldn't like her no matter how Clarice and Eggsy assured her that the little girl would love her.

"Trinkets." They both turned their eyes to open door as Tilde walked into the room, kicking off her shoes and taking down her hair, "I haven't bought her any clothes. You said she likes green, yes?"

"Absolutely."

"I thought she might like a pretty dress for special occasions. I found the loveliest silk blend in a beautiful forest green. I think it will compliment her coloring. I thought she and I might design the dress together."

"That sounds wonderful, love. And I sure Cera will love it." Clarice tried to get up to go to Tilde, wanting to hold her, kiss her gently, and reassure her again that Cerabeth was going to love her. Eggsy knew about the desire to do so because he wanted to do the same, but he kept her on the bed with a gentle, firm hand to her shoulder, pressing her back into the ridiculously fluffy pillow. He raised an unamused eyebrow when she turned a sour look on him and huffed a breath out of her nose.

"What's going on?" Tilde asked, crawling across the large bed until she was sitting next to Clarice. Seeing the concern in Eggsy's eyes she took one of Clarice's hands in her own and felt her forehead with the back of her free hand.

"Nothing," Clarice glared at him, before she turned a sweet smile on Tilde, "Really, love. I'm fine. Eggsy's being a bit overprotective, that's all."

"Overprotective?" Eggsy glared right back, "Forgive me for not wanting to see you pass out again, yeah?"

"Pass out?" Tilde looked startled and unlinked her fingers from Clarice's so that she could take her pulse.

"Yeah!" Eggsy affirmed, "She comes in and keels right over. Almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Eggsy," Clarice cupped his cheek with her hand, acknowledging how much her spell had scared him for the first time.

"Are you alright, gridelin? You were so tired last week. We can call the doctor. He is always on standby for the royal family."Tilde's voice was calm, but Eggsy knew she was just as worried as he was

"I'm fine," Clarice said again, "I promise. I wouldn't lie to you both." She took one of each of their hands and kissed them before she laid them again her belly, "It…It's not unusual for a woman in her first trimester to faint."

"First…" Eggsy felt his head go a little fuzzy and tried not to let his mind wander to the half dozen times he and his wife had gotten their hopes up the last couple years just to have them dashed again and again. He pushed aside the terror of finding Tilde bleeding, tried to push down the hope and joy that were trying to bloom in his heart and forced himself to focus. He came back to himself to see Tilde curled around Clarice, her hand still on their love's belly, kissing her passionately.

"Really?" He asked. Clarice broke away from her kiss with Tilde with a laugh.

"Really!" She giggled as Tilde began to pepper sweet little kisses down her neck, between her breasts, and finally down on her belly, where their baby was growing.

"I…" Eggsy couldn't hold it back anymore. The joy burst forth and he pulled Tilde up to give her a hard kiss before he stood and pulled both of them up from the bed and into his arms. He made a sound, somewhere between a shout and a laugh, as they hugged in jumble of arms and bodies before they jumped up and down like children for a moment. When they were all giggling and breathless he dropped to his knees and pulled Clarice's shirt out of her pants so that he could place a kiss to the skin of her belly, then rested his head there.

"Happy, loves?" Clarice asked quietly.

"So much." Tilde murmured.

And Eggsy could only agree, "So happy."

*****

"Oh! You look so beautiful, min blomma."

Cerabeth turned to the open door of her bedroom to where Tilde stood, a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. She always seemed to be crying lately, but that wasn't a bad thing, Mama said she was just feeling a little emotional, what with moving to a new town, starting a new job, and having a new baby on the way. Anyone would feel emotional, Mama said. And Cerabeth understood that. She was feeling a little emotional herself lately.

It wasn't every day that a girl came home from her summer in Europe with her Papa to not only the Mama that she loved, but two new parents and a baby brother or sister on the way. Of course, Mama had told her about Eggsy and Tilde before she came home. They'd even spent a couple of weeks all together at the end of the summer in Positano, getting to know one another. Cerabeth had liked Eggsy and Tilde. A lot. Eggsy played in the pool with her, laughing and tossing her around with her Papa. He even let her hold tight to his neck as he swam under the water from one end of the pool to the next. And when they'd found ballroom dancing one night he'd swept her up in his arms and taken her around the dance floor and made her laugh until her tummy ached. When she couldn't sleep, too much excitement and fun, he'd sung her to sleep, stroking her hair as Mama rubbed her back.

Tilde was probably the most beautiful person she'd ever met. She let Cera nap with her in her hammock as she read to her in Swedish, the rise and fall of her lilt soothing and sweet. She'd also spent a day with her when Mama and Papa and Eggsy wanted to go into town for shopping. Tilde had looked like she wanted to go, too, but when her eyes had met Cera's she'd winked and told the other grownups that she wasn't feeling shopping. Instead, they'd gone to the spa and had their hair and nails done, then they'd walked along the ocean finding shells, then giggled as they watched a silly movie together with popcorn and soda. She'd only half woken that night when Tilde had tucked her sheet around her and pressed a sweet kiss to her hair before she moved into the light of the door that was open between Cera and Papa's room and Mama, Eggsy and Tilde's room. Mama and Eggsy had been waiting for her there and Cerabeth sleepily saw the three of them hugging and a couple of soft kisses.

Eggsy and Tilde made her mom so, so happy and that made Cerabeth happy. She wanted her mom to be happy more than anything. It wasn't that her mom ever seemed unhappy, but being with Eggsy and Tilde just made her mom seem, it was hard to describe, but she seemed more peaceful, more like herself than Cerabeth had ever seen her. Even if she hadn't loved Eggsy and Tilde for themselves she would have loved them for that. It didn't make it any easier when they moved in though. When her mom had told her that they'd be getting a bigger place, since their two room apartment above Grandpa Steve's store would be much too small for three adults, Cerabeth herself, and a baby, she had agreed. Didn't make it any easier though. Her new room was bigger, but the shadows were different and the sounds. And now she had to share Mama more because she wasn't the only one in the house and Mama was tired because the baby was growing and it was all a little overwhelming. Sometimes she'd felt like she was a little forgotten.

But, as soon as Mama, Eggsy, and Tilde figured that out, after she hadn't been able to keep it in one afternoon when all she'd wanted was some time with Mama and all the grownups could talk about was the new baby, they'd changed a lot. Now she got Mama to herself at least one night a week, time just to be together. Sometimes they went to see a movie, sometimes they went for a long walk in the woods behind Grandpa Steve and Papa Len's house, sometimes all they did was cook dinner together for everyone, but it was time just for them.

Mama, Eggsy, and Tilde all agreed that it was a good thing, but as they all settled in together Cera began to feel bad. She loved her time with Mama, but what about Eggsy and Tilde? So, she'd sat them down told them that if it was possible, she'd also like to have an evening every week with each of them. It had apparently been the right thing to say because Eggsy and Tilde had hugged her so tight and Mama had told her she was proud of her that night when she was tucking her in. Usually on their nights together she and Tilde did the girly stuff that Mama wasn't super interested in, like hair and nails. Eggsy had to travel a lot for work, so sometimes he missed their nights, but every time he did when he came home they had a full day for just the two of them and usually they did something exciting and tiring, like hiking and bike riding and Eggsy helped her with her gymnastics in a way Mama couldn't since the baby was growing and making it a little harder for her to move. It was actually one of her favorite things when Eggsy picked her up after she pulled off a great floor combination, hugging her close and whispering in her ear, "That's my girl."

"I just knew that would be your color." Tilde said, bringing Cera out of her thoughts and back to where she was looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing the pretty green dress that she and Tilde had designed together and Tilde had had made for her. The family Christmas party at Uncle Tony's tower seemed like the perfect time to wear it. Cera smiled at Tilde and ran into her arms when they were opened. Tilde gave the best hugs.

"You look beautiful, too, Mummy," Cerabeth shyly used the name she'd been calling Tilde in her head for a while.

"Oh!" Tilde kissed the top of her head, then cupped her face in her hands and kissed her forehead, like Mama and Papa always did, "Would you like me to help you with your hair, min blomma? Put it up in the pretty crown braid?"

"Yes, please."

*****

"She called me Mummy," Tilde said quietly as she and Clarice slow danced later that night. Clarice could hear the wonder in Tilde's voice and couldn't help but smile. She looked over at where Eggsy was sitting in one of the comfy little corners that she was sure her Aunt Pepper had insisted on for the family party. There were low couches and lower tables to rest drinks and deserts on. He hadn't moved from the spot for a couple of hours, a little banged up from his last mission, but Cerabeth had taken full advantage of it as she got tired. She'd been snuggled up with her Papa Len for a while, but as she was falling asleep she'd moved over to Eggsy, curling up with her head in his lap while he stroked her hair and rubbed her back as he kept up quiet conversation with Clarice's parents.

"Are you really surprised?" Clarice asked, "She adores you and she adores Eggsy. She actually asked me a couple of months ago if I thought she'd mind her calling you Mummy and Eggsy Da. I told her I didn't think you mind at all. I'm surprised it took her this long to work up to it. She's not usually shy, my girl. Our girl."

"Our girl," Tilde smiled and kissed her gently.

"Are you alright, beautiful?" Clarice asked after another moment, "You've been so tired lately and you haven't been eating very much."

"I'm fine, gridelin."

"Still," Clarice took one of the hands Tilde had put on her shoulders and moved it to her belly. She was getting bigger now and just recently she'd started to feel the baby move, She was looking forward to the rest of her family being able to feel the baby soon, "I'd feel better if you went to see my papa or your family doctor or something. If not for yourself, for that little girl over there and the little girl still waiting to meet you."

"Little girl?" Tilde asked.

"Just a feeling," Clarice admitted, "But I knew Cerabeth was a girl about this time and I was right."

"Alright," Tilde leaned over and kissed her gently, "I'll make an appointment."

"Thank you, my love," Clarice laid her head on Tilde's shoulder and simply enjoyed dancing with her love.

*****

"I'm sorry. Could you please repeat that?" Tilde wasn't sure that she'd heard the man who had essentially become her father-in-law in the previous six months correctly. In fact, she could not have heard him correctly. It wasn't possible.

"You're pregnant," Leonard Rogers-McCoy repeated, "Congratulations."

"No," Tilde shook her head, "No, I can't be. Papa," She reached out for his hand, needing his support. He didn't hesitate to reach back, which was one of the things she appreciated most about him, "Papa, Eggsy and I tried to get pregnant for years. I only conceived the once and you know how that ended. The doctors said that I couldn't again. They said it was going to be impossible."

"Sometimes the impossible can happen when we're happy and not trying so hard," Leonard smiled and ran a hand over the blonde hair. He'd never admit it out loud, but he thought his Clarice's partner, her wife, was probably one of the classiest ladies he'd ever met and though he loved all of the partners his kids had chosen, including Clarice's other third Eggsy, Tilde was probably his favorite. There was something about her that reminded him of Samantha and made his heart hurt in the best possible way, "I knew it at the Christmas party. The blood test confirms it, but I've been smelling it on you for weeks." He tapped the side of his nose, "Didn't want to say anything 'cause I wasn't sure it would stick. Figured if it didn't you might never know. Might think it was just a late cycle. Forgive me."

"Of course," Tilde murmured, setting a hand to her belly, "I just…I, Papa. How can we know that this one is going to stay? I…I don't know that I can go through losing another one."

"Tilde," Len took both of her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes, "The smell is strong and so is the heartbeat I can already hear. There's never a guarantee with these things. There can't be, but…I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery. Should we take a look at the baby? See how far along you are for sure?"

And for the first time, Tilde allowed herself to hope. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

"Yes!"

*****

Four months later the three of them were married, if not legally, at least in the eyes of their families and in their hearts. Both Clarice and Tilde were heavily pregnant and glowing, the most beautiful of brides. Cerabeth hardly left her Mama and Mummy's sides, not wanting to miss a moment as she waited for her little sisters to be born. Eggsy was overwhelmed with his happiness that not even the prospect of work could put a damper on. Harry and Merlin's gift to him was nine months paternity leave with the only condition being that he kept himself in shape and that they could call on him in the event that his presence would save the world. He happily agreed to their terms. Only a few weeks later Clarice gave birth to their second little girl. They named her Anwen. Three and a half weeks after that Tilde also gave birth, her labor as uncomplicated as her pregnancy had blessedly been. They named their third daughter Astrid. None of them had ever been happier.


End file.
